title: Consumption of plant sterols in Belgium: estimated intakes and sources of naturally occurring plant sterols and β-carotene.
abstract: The objective of the present study was to assess the intake of naturally occurring plant sterols and β-carotene via the overall diet of Belgian pre-school children and adults. Two different Belgian food consumption databases were used: (1) one with consumption data of pre-school children (2·5-6·5 years old) and (2) one with consumption data of adults ( ≥ 15 years old). These consumption data were combined with a newly developed database containing the plant sterol and β-carotene content in all relevant food items based on international food composition databases and scientific literature. The results show that Flemish pre-school children have a median plant sterol intake of 172 (interquartile range (IQR) = 47) and 184 (IQR = 52) mg/d for girls and boys, respectively. Their median β-carotene intake was 1857 (IQR = 1250) μg/d, without significant difference between girls and boys. Belgian women and men have a median plant sterol intake of 218 (IQR = 113) and 280 (IQR = 158) mg/d, respectively, and a median β-carotene intake of 2086 (IQR = 1254) μg/d (not significantly different between the sexes). The main food source of naturally occurring plant sterols was bread and other cereal products. For β-carotene, the main food source was vegetables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. isabelle.sioen@ugent.be
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sioen
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matthys
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Camp
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D010840:Phytosterols; D019207:beta Carotene